Apostolic Penitentiary holds conference to stress value of Confession

January 15, 2009

The Apostolic Penitentiary has drawn some rare media coverage with a 2-day seminar explaining its own internal workings. The Apostolic Penitentiary is the Vatican tribunal that deals with matters of the "internal forum," such as questions of confession; it also handles indulgences. Most reports on the seminar emphasized the secrecy of the Apostolic Penitentiary's work, and its handling of cases involving the gravest of sins, such as desecration of the Eucharist or violating the confessional seal. However the conference was intended primarily to encourage more frequent confession. The secretary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, remarked: "We want to re-launch the sacrament of Penance."

 

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Further information:

• For 830 years, Apostolic Penitentiary has focused on forgiveness (CNS)
• Vatican secret confession tribunal opens up (AP)